Huawei's MediaPad to arrive in US by year's end

Huawei's 7-inch tablet will be launched in the U.S. during this year's fourth quarter, according to a company spokeswoman.

Huawei's MediaPad, which the Chinese company unveiled in June, is also slated to arrive in Hong Kong, Thailand and China in the same period. In Malaysia, the device is expected to go on sale in mid-October.

The company has previously said pricing will depend on the market. But in Singapore, the MediaPad is already available for order at US$473, according to the Huawei spokeswoman.

Huawei's MediaPad will run Google's Android 3.2 version, which is designed specifically to run on a 7-inch tablet. The MediaPad is 10.5 mm thick and weighs at 390 grams. The device uses a Qualcomm dual-core 1.2Ghz processor and battery life will last more than six hours. It can also playback 1080p high-definition video and comes with a 5-megapixel camera at the rear and a 1.3-megapixel camera in the front. Huawei is best known as a telecommunications equipment supplier. But the company wants to become a major player in the world's tablet market. Last year, the company released its Ideos S7 device in certain markets, including the U.S. The tablet ran Android 2.1 and cost between $300 and $400.

The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.

My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.

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